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Over the last several weeks, MENV students won several competitions in the environmental and sustainability space.����

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To start, MENV students Kasrah Eslami, Colin McDonald, Brooke Miller, Erin Spencer (Team Captain), and Nolan Welsh competed in the US Department of Energy’s Geothermal Collegiate Competition and took home first prize!����

“The U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Geothermal Collegiate Competition (GCC) invites teams from collegiate institutions to develop real-world geothermal solutions while competing for cash prizes and gaining resume experience in the renewable energy industry. Students of all majors, minors, and career paths are encouraged to participate. Competing in the GCC provides an introduction to the renewable energy field, opportunities to engage with industry professionals as well as local communities, and a deeper understanding of how geothermal energy can provide efficient, reliable energy solutions to communities. “����

��This was our students’ second year competing and we came out on top in a competition with dozens of teams from across the country. The team produced an excellent proposal for a single-building geothermal system proof-of-concept in Louisville, Kentucky, with a second-phase district geothermal system. This included assessing permitting requirements, tax benefits, cost-benefit analysis and carbon reduction, community outreach and stakeholder engagement, and the team worked with the City of Louisville and provided their materials to the city for its use.��

Judges from the competition remarked that “This is the most comprehensive assessment of a district scale geothermal heating and cooling project [in the competition]. The sources and bibliography bear testimony to the level of research and effort the team has undertaken in evaluating their project. Excellent work. The presentation video is top quality with a conclusion that brings the assessment together justifying it from all the studied angles.”��

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Later in the week, MENV students Jazlyn Nie, Sasha Skibitskaya, and Cayden Parris competed in the 32nd Annual Campus Sustainability Summit and won the “Climate Impact” category with their community-powered furniture rental marketplace, Loop!��

Loop was created in an effort to reduce furniture waste. "In the U.S., 90% of rental apartments come unfurnished, forcing renters to repeatedly purchase and discard furniture, causing tons of usable furniture to end up in landfills. Meanwhile, local furniture owners spend billions on storage. This is why we are creating Loop, a marketplace that connects people who need furniture with those who have extra. Renters access quality, affordable furniture, owners earn passive income, and together, we build a circular economy that benefits the planet."��

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We are so proud of these teams and the incredible work they’ve put forth!��